The effect of urbanization on helminth communities in the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merulaL.) from the eastern part of the Czech Republic

Abstract

In the present study we investigated two ecologically distinct populations ofT. merulafor the presence of helminths. We wished to determine whether urban populations of blackbirds had reduced helminth fauna compared to birds from forest habitats. Birds were caught in two ecologically distinct sites located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. A total of 320 birds were examined. The first site was located in Prerov where the birds were obtained from a typical urban population, and the second site was Zahlinice, which constitutes a typical forest area. As a result of parasitological examination, 30 helminth species belonging to Digenea, Cestoda, Nematoda and Acanthocephala were recorded from both sites: 29 species were found in the forested site and 15 in the urban site. The overall prevalence of infection was 93.1% and differed significantly between the sites (Zahlinice 97.2%, Prerov 85.1%). The mean species richness was almost three times higher in the forest population (3.37 ± 0.10) than in the urban one (1.78 ± 0.11). The clear qualitative and quantitative differences in the helminth community ofT. merulaobtained from two ecologically disparate localities show that urbanization leads to a significant reduction in the helminth fauna of a bird which is highly adapted to synanthropic habitats, while still remaining common in its original forest habitat.

Helminth community structure study on urban and forest blackbird (Turdus merula L.) populations in relation to seasonal bird migration on the south Baltic Sea coast (NW Poland)

“…These results coincide with results obtained by Sitko and Zaleśny (2014) who studied the helminth fauna of blackbirds in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. The authors showed that urbanization led to a significant reduction in the helminth fauna of the blackbird since the hosts adjusted themselves to the synanthropic habitat (Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014).…”

“…These results coincide with results obtained by Sitko and Zaleśny (2014) who studied the helminth fauna of blackbirds in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. The authors showed that urbanization led to a significant reduction in the helminth fauna of the blackbird since the hosts adjusted themselves to the synanthropic habitat (Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014). An identical trend noticed in studies on various blackbird populations of the Baltic Sea Coast and the Czech Republic justifies a generalization that urbanization leads to a reduction in the species diversity of the helminth fauna of a bird species living in a synanthropic habitat in comparison to a bird species living in its natural forest habitat (Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014).…”

“…(1984), digeneans, nematodes and acantocephalans, of migrating blackbirds are well known. Finally, the effect of blackbird urbanization on its helminth fauna has been proved by a comparative study conducted in the eastern part of the Czech Republic (Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014). However, studies devoted to urban blackbird populations are rather few and we still do not have sufficient knowledge about the helminths of birds which show a tendency for synanthropization.…”

“…Typically "southern" species (Dogiel, 1962) have been identified among trematodes of birds in the Czech Republic, accidentally introduced from tropical regions, e.g. Brachydistomum olssoni brought by the common swift Apus apus (Sitko et al, 2006) and Morishitium elongatum, Mossesia microsome, Psilotornus contortus, Euamphimerus pancreaticus, Mihajlovia migrata brought by T. merula (Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014). Studies on bird migration conducted on the Polish Baltic Sea coast and results of the analyses of information about returning ringed birds indicate that two migration streams of the blackbird run through the Polish coast.…”

“…The response of bird parasites to changes in environmental quality has been studied less extensively. Several studies have been devoted to the effect of bird synanthropization on species richness and diversity of their helminths (Rutkowska, 1973;Okulewicz A., 1979a, b;Sitko & Zaleśny, 2014). A comparative study on nematode fauna of blackbirds in urban and forest habitats was conducted by Okulewicz A.…”